This is a summary of my work throughout the course, hopefully of value during my assessment.

Part 1

For the first exercise I chose to study E.H. Shepard and one of my favourite comics artists Mike Mignola. Although they initially seemed like extremely different artists, I managed to find some similarities in theme, and found it interesting to juxtapose the two. I decided to draw the same subject when emulating both artists to demonstrate their differences in style, and I think I got off to a strong start producing two illustrations that I’m still quite proud of.

For the second exercise I got a newspaper and worked on an editorial cartoon, making something I hoped was funny and relevant.

For the assignment I chose to experiment with a fairly unfamiliar medium and did a linocut. I used a landscape for the cover, taken from a reference of some local scenery, and made some stamps reflecting different things that interest me. I had some issues throughout the process but in the end I enjoyed tackling the assignment creatively and coming up with something interesting.

My initial thoughts on part 1 were that I found the experience exciting and gratifying, and I was eager to press on. Based on the feedback I received I endeavoured to do more cross-referencing and secondary research, and to be less inclined to always go with my first idea when brainstorming.

Part 2

Part 2 was mostly about learning different tools and approaches to tackle briefs. In the first few excercises I wrote a mock-brief for one of my favourite video games, and created some spider diagrams.

When doing the Words into pictures exercise, I was initially pretty excited but found the exercise more difficult than expected. I found that I was thinking about it too hard, or overly concerned with making finished looking drawings. Eventually I drew some quick images trying to sort of visually explore a scene, and I was happy enough with the result.

The moodboard was one exercise I was loath to do, but I was eagre to give it my best effort and approach it with an open mind. I decided to make a collage from photos of the surrounding area, I took a field trip with my camera and collected a lot of references and put together a scene that I felt represented destruction. I was actually really happy with this exercise and I liked the way I approached it in a lateral way.

The exercise on reference I spent a lot of time researching. I got library books, did online research and even watched films from the 50s for a range of visual reference. For my final illustration I chose to view the brief in an interprative way and drew my chracter on a street sitting on the hood of his car. My tutor said that I was likely playing too loose with the brief and needed to focus more on delivering what was being asked in the future.

I was quite proud of the exercise on choosing content, and created something I felt really complemented the text. The process for that exercise I found very rewarding.

Carrying on I worked through the objective and subjective drawings, and the exercise experimenting with black and white.

I enjoyed the exercise on visual metaphors and had fun riffing on the censorship of the press, choosing to lampoon a certain US president.

The exercise on exploring different painting techniques, again was criticised for straying off brief. I decided to experiment with creating my own sketchbook from different materials, using thread and a punch to bind it, then filling it with different images of cats in a variety of materials. I definitely could have been more deliberate and thorough, and maybe approached the exercise in better faith.

The second assignment I feel was something of a missed opportunity, and the end result I find a little uninspired and lifeless, and doesn’t reflect my goals or style as an artist.

Reflecting on my work for this part, much of my decision making is done on impulse or spontaneously, which I think has some value creatively. But being more willing to explore different options and being more methodical and thoughtful when researching and considering briefs will help me grow as an artist.

Part 3

Moving on to part 3, I began by playing around with cutouts and compositions, and surprised myself by how rewarding and fun I found it.

With image development, I think I found a compelling image but ultimately didn’t choose a composition that was as interesting as it could have been, and the final result to be honest is very derivative. I found this exercise to be a missed opportunity.

The viewpoint exercise was valuable, and one worth repeating in the future.

I worked myself into a panic doing the exercise on abstract illustration, but surprisingly enjoyed the process and thought the final illustration had some merit.

The exercise on giving instructions was a fun challenge, and I think I created something quite cute and met the goal of the exercise.

For the mock-up exercise, I was very excited to tackle this assignment and thought the idea of redesigning a book cover was really fun and interesting.

I chose a book that I had just finished reading, that I happened to think had a fairly weak cover illustration, Dracula. I spent a lot of time researching this assignment! Pulling up dozens of alternate covers throughout the years, and watching several film adaptations for inspiration. I was really pleased with the final result.

My tutor felt it was a bit of a missed opportunity, as I had been a bit gung-ho to produce an illustration and applied it to a dated Penguin publication layout, effectively ignoring the graphic design component of the exercise. While fair criticisms, I’m still very happy with the result.

Finally for the assignment, I thought that my research was well informed and thoughtful, but I’m disappointed with the presentation of the final piece. My main takeaway from this part of the course was that I needed to pay more attention to design elements, something I had been seriously sidelining in favour of drawing.

Part 4

In identifying tools, I began by revisiting some of my favourite Eastern inkwash painters and artists, and also doing new research to discover artists and techniques I wasn’t familiar with. I decided to redo my final piece from choosing content, attempting to emulate a Japanese inkwash style.

Next for museum posters, I visited my local museum and took plenty of reference photos. Again, I struggled a bit with the design aspect of the exercise, creating something that was maybe overworked. For a finished piece, I digitally created a poster featuring a national revolutionary hero, Countess Constance Markiewicz.

For children’s book covers, again I spent time researching, some things I was familiar with but also other new books on the market. I also conducted an interview with two of my young nieces and nephews as some extra market research!

My tutor felt that I over-relied on using dated sources as reference, which again I agreed was fair, moreso reflecting my own personal preferences and areas of interest. But generally I agreed that I need to broaden my area of research.

The tattoo exercise was interesting, given that it’s an area I’m knowledgable on but have no desire to participate in! I explained some various styles of tattooing and did an illustration based on Traditional or “Old school” tattooing that is my personal preference when it comes to tattoing styles.

Visual distortion took me on a strange journey. My tutor was pleased with my willingness to engage with the challenge and I think some of the outcomes were unexpected and rewarding!

For character development, I was very eagre to engage with the exercise as it’s an area of illustration I’m personally interested in pursuing as a career option. I did a large amount of research, featuring design documents from numerous media that I enjoy, and finished with two character sheets.

Finally for the assignment I did a still life around the word discovery. I brought it through several iterations, experimenting with both traditional and digital media, until arriving at something using a style I’ve been recently experimenting with. I felt beginning with a still life added something very unique to this creative process.

My tutors comments for part 4 were overall very positive, while still pointing out the need to work on design elements more closely. I was happy with the part too, and created some work I was quite pleased with and engaged with some processes I found valuable and worth revisiting.

Part 5

Moving onto the final part I began by looking back at all the work I created thoughout the course thus far and deciding to experiment with using transfer paper to print a few of my designs on t-shirts.

For editorial illustration I felt like I made a few errors in judgment at earlier stages of the exercise that compromised what would have been a more interesting process otherwise. My choice of article to illustrate in hindsight wasn’t effective and the arbitrary challenges I imposed on myself didn’t help the quality of my work.

I found travel guides quite an enjoyable and challenging exercise. I enjoyed the research process but found it challenging in how best to engage with the brief, trying to weigh artistic freedoms versus the challenges of being set an objective in the form of a commission. Still, I felt like the three mock-ups I created subtley represented their respective cities in different ways while still visually being part of a cohesive series.

While being a relatively simple exercise, I found text and image to be immensely helpful. If for nothing else than I learned how to download and use different, non-default fonts. I still refer back to this exercise sometimes, and as someone with an interest in comics as a medium, found this very useful.

With packaging I struggled. I got a book on graphic design and wanted to purposefully engage with the design component of the exercise, but got jaded by the commercialism and lack of transgressive values in packaging design. My tutor was disappointed with how I engaged with the exercise, feeling that as an art student it is acceptable to be subversive when appropriate. I approached the exercise in good faith and treated it as if it was a genuine commission, and chose to stick to simple inoffensive designs.

For children’s illustrations I had fun with the research, being principally inspired by manga artist Akira Toriyama. I tried to stray from crude imitation and create something in my own style, while acknowledging my sources of inspiration.

I was nervous about doing the exercise educational strip, but I think I produced my favourite artwork from throughout the course here.

For the final assignment I created a series of seven posters to demonstrate my interest in concept art and world building. My tutor was a bit confused by my goals, but it was basically to brainstorm the development of a fantasy environment for use in media (film or video games for example), the kind of work that professional concept artists do.

I created a timelapse video of my process.